Many solar collectors exist today. Solar collectors are often used to turn solar radiation into electricity. In one existing solar collector, the solar collector includes a reflective surface, a germanium solar cell, and a copper heat exchanger comprising a baseplate and an attached heat pipe. The solar cell may be attached to the baseplate of the heat exchanger through various means. The reflective surface reflects sun rays to the solar cell which turns the sun rays into electricity. When the solar cell becomes hot, the excess heat is transferred to the baseplate of the heat exchanger and transferred to the ambient atmosphere through the heat pipe. During this time, the copper baseplate thermally expands more than the germanium solar cell. This may lead to increased tensile stress in the solar cell which may cause the solar cell to separate from the baseplate, to fracture, or to experience one or more other types of problems.
In another existing solar collector, the solar cell may be adhered to the baseplate using a poor conductive, thermal adhesive. When excess heat from the solar cell is transferred to the baseplate, the poor conductive, thermal adhesive may cause ineffective thermal conductivity resulting in a higher temperature difference between the solar cell and the baseplate. This may result in a larger heat sink area, and higher solar cell temperatures, which may reduce solar cell reliability and/or cause one or more other types of problems.
A solar collector, restraining member, and/or method for restraining the thermal expansion of a solar collector is needed to decrease one or more problems associated with one or more of the existing devices and/or methods.